8 Extraordinary Casino Gambling Strategies

All casino games are dependent on chance. Even the participants at a poker table don't know which cards will be dealt next, and many poker strategies call for folding before getting too far into betting if you have a bad hand. That's an important lesson to remember when considering any form of gambling strategy, because the element of the unknown eventually renders all methods obsolete.

Nonetheless, most experienced players develop comfort zones in which they believe they have some control over the outcomes of their chance games. This tendency to place trust in the zone is a variation on the Gambler's Fallacy. If you really want to gamble, why not experiment with some techniques that are outside of your comfort zone? There are some fairly fascinating things you can do without jeopardizing your statistical position in facing down the house edge.

Indeed, there are recognized methods of diminishing the house advantage, but they are few and few between. If everyone played the same games in the same way, gambling would be extremely boring and monotonous. So, in the spirit of "no risk, no reward," here are a few ideas that will keep the commentators arguing for weeks and the players puzzled about what you're doing. You don't have to give up anything other than your usual playing style.

If you enjoy these methods enough to include them into your arsenal, you'll be able to shake things up when other players become stuck in a rut. Even if that doesn't provide you an advantage over the house, it will make you less likely to become bored.

1. Never Play Blackjack Again

Blackjack has gained popularity among gamblers because, unlike most other casino games, it allows you to employ your talent. The house edge in blackjack, according to the experts, is also relatively low. However, there is one drawback to regular blackjack: it is not the most generous variant of the game.

Although most players have learnt to avoid single deck blackjack games that pay only 6:5, the majority of players choose to play regular blackjack with 6 to 8 decks in the shoe because they prefer the 3:2 odds. However, there is another way to enjoy this game while gaining a tiny advantage over the average blackjack player.

You should try Spanish 21 if your casino has it. Although there are various rule variances between standard blackjack and Spanish 21, the most noticeable distinction is that the Spanish 21 game does not use any ten point cards. In other words, a Spanish 21 deck contains 48 cards (all face cards are retained) rather than 52 cards. The game minimizes the likelihood of either player or dealer drawing a natural 21 by deleting those 10 point cards.

The disadvantage of playing Spanish 21 is that the potential house edge is around 3%, as opposed to 1% in normal blackjack. But don't worry! In Spanish 21, there are several unique rewards. The fact that players always win 21 to 21 is the most important of these player advantages. Even if the dealer has a blackjack, you win if you have a blackjack as well. Even better, instead of a push, the house pays 3:2 on player blackjack.

In Spanish 21, you can also split Aces a second time. Okay, it's unlikely that you'll be dealt three or four Aces, but if it happens, you can split again.

Why play Spanish 21 when the house edge is more than in traditional blackjack? There is far too much emphasis on "the house edge" among gambling experts. Technically, the edge is only realized over a large number of bets, which implies the house does better and worse than you predict. That volatility is a good thing because it implies that players can win large sums of money at times.

Instead of analyzing house edge statistics, consider the flexibility and higher benefits that come with playing Spanish 21. It will force you to step outside of your comfort zone, but you will be pleasantly pleased when you are paid greater odds for some combinations that do not pay well in traditional blackjack.

You might not want to play blackjack again.

2. Participate only in tournaments

This is a reasonably well-known approach. Almost any fundamental strategy expert will tell you that you should only play in tournaments at some point. This is due to the fact that if you only pay a fixed cost up front but win the event, the value of the prize could be significantly greater than your buy-in charge. Even slot machine tournaments can be profitable for the first, second, and third-place finishers.

The ability to plan ahead for the buy in is what makes tournament play so appealing. This effectively lowers your gambling to a predictable bet. Of course, you may want to risk more than the tournaments allow, so restricting yourself to tournaments may not be feasible.

Joining tournaments allows you to gamble on two levels, which may make the tournament experience more enjoyable for you.

3. Whenever possible, play one-on-one with the dealer.

When you are the sole player at a blackjack table, the casino does not enjoy it. The dealer's ability to play against multiple customers at the same time contributes to the casino's advantage. Whether you count cards or not, if you are the sole player facing the dealer, the distribution of the cards will be less volatile.

If you have a lucky break and can play the dealer by yourself, the pit manager may close other tables or send over some house players to fill your table. Don't be upset if this occurs.

What difference does it make how many people there are at the table? Because as more individuals pull from the shoe, your odds of acquiring those high-value cards decrease. When there are only you and the dealer, you have an equal chance of drawing the cards you require. Your chances decrease dramatically as more people join the table.

The dealer is not required to draw high-value cards as frequently as the individual players are. This is because the dealer always wins when a player busts. As a result, if you play a conservative game with a dealer one-on-one, you have a really excellent setup. However, the house advantage will never completely disappear. Sometimes all you'll get for a third card is a bust, and there's nothing you can do about it.

4. Place two of three outside bets in roulette at the same time.

Roulette is a favorite among gaming pundits, and there are certainly many solid reasons to avoid playing a game that is carefully engineered to emphasize high-risk wagers. When playing the inside, the majority of the betting possibilities on the table are single numbers, and players tend to think in terms of betting primarily on single numbers.

Savvy roulette gamers may play the lines, but even when betting on six numbers, the house has a tremendous advantage over you, and the chances are horrible.

In traditional roulette strategy manuals, your best bets are the "safe" outside bets: black or red, odd or even. Pundits reluctantly accept that you can also bet on the first twelve, second twelve, and third twelve numbers. Each of these thirds pays odds of 2 to 1.

Playing in two groups increases your chances of winning. When you do this, you reduce the odds to an even payoff, but you obtain better coverage (24 numbers) than with conventional safe bets (18 numbers), which also pay even money.

So, would you rather win even money betting on 18 numbers or win even money betting on 24 numbers? Perform the calculations. You may never gamble on black again.

5. Only use the maximum number of lines in slot games.

Since their inception, so-called "penny" slot games have evolved. Game developers have introduced more and more pay lines to these games, and they are also adding extra screens to handle more pay lines. Early versions of these games enabled you to select the number of active pay lines during spins. While this may have appeared to players who were uncomfortable placing bets on 15, 20, or 25 pay lines as a charitable gesture, the fact was that the potential return to player was cruelly lowered to very low levels.

You will nearly never win if you simply play one of the 25 active pay lines. It's not like playing a single pay line slot machine. Players that try to save money by playing fewer pay lines are actually wasting it. This is due to the fact that the games are designed to pay the highest percentage when all pay lines are engaged.

Multi pay line games frequently provide higher theoretical return to player percentages than older single pay line games. If the RTP on the pay table is greater than 96%, your game is entering Spanish 21, roulette, and blackjack area.

Slot machines may not be your preferred form of gambling, but most people do play them at some point. You can enjoy some quiet time spinning the reels without taking much more danger than if you were playing cards if you chose more contemporary slot games with fixed pay lines (you cannot deactivate them).

6. Instead of other games, play Keno.

If you know anything about which casino games are recommended, you'll know that keno, along with all other lottery-style games, is at the bottom of the list. So, how is keno a solid approach to recommend instead of other games? As a regular gambling activity, it is still not recommended, but when evaluating how horrible keno is, most people focus on the huge pick options and ignore the probabilities on the lower select alternatives. However, there is another aspect to this "crazy" plan.

First, consider the worst and best case scenarios. A standard keno game allows you to choose between two and ten numbers. The general rule is that the more numbers you choose, the lower your chances of winning, though the payoff odds grow. Who wouldn't want to pick ten numbers from a keno wheel? Of course, that is the allure of keno, and most players appear to prefer big winnings over smaller ones.

If you're going to play keno, you need to conduct some math and figure out which of the choices alternatives provides you with the best odds of winning. Because there are several versions of the game, the odds can differ from casino to casino. For example, in one version of the game, you might be able to win something if you get two of the three numbers in a Pick 3, but in another version, you might not be able to gain anything if you get two out of three. The casino provides you with a winning table that outlines the odds.

The greatest versions of the game pay a small fee to obtain some of your numbers. The fewer numbers you must select in order to earn at least two winning combinations, the better. Assume you can play a Pick 5 game and win for 5 numbers, 4 numbers, and 3 numbers. That's a decent payback spread. It's not amazing; most modern slot machine games provide better theoretical returns to players, but with this option, you're looking at 70% to 75% RTP. If you can play a Pick 4, you may believe it is less hazardous. In fact, in some versions of the game, Pick 4 delivers the second best potential return to player if three captures pay prizes are allowed (4 numbers, 3 numbers, and 2 numbers).

So, having chosen your preferred Pick, why would you play keno when the best theoretical return you can anticipate for is around 70% to 75%? That's all there is to it. You're going to take a break from gambling for a bit. Take a breather. Go eat something or watch a movie. One of the best aspects of keno is that it is a leisurely round game. There are only a few drawings every hour at most, and this is a method to gamble while not gambling. Keno is an entirely passive game, perhaps more so than slot machines.

Slowing down your pace of play is one of the several money management strategies that gaming experts offer to players. At a card table, this is difficult because the dealer must keep the action going for the other players (and the pit boss is watching). For the same reason, it is not possible at the other table games. It is technically feasible to slow down your slot play, but that Spin button is right in front of you, and frankly, if you just play the slots all night, you will sit too long.

So get up, go for a stroll, put $10 down on a few keno cards with Pick 4 or Pick 5 numbers, and then go relax. Get yourself something to eat. Take care of your responsibilities. You're still gambling, but you're not putting much money at risk, and you have about the same chance of breaking even or winning a little amount of money as if you played a few rounds of slots. I mean, it's all for fun, right?

7. Avoid Passing in Craps and Laying Odds

Craps is the most intricate game in the universe, and it's also one of the least player-friendly table games if you try to use all of the exotic bets. Almost every craps tutorial will teach you that the Pass and Don't Pass lines are the best bets and that you should always Take The Odds if you bet Pass or Lay The Odds if you play Don't Pass.

These plays are so easy that you practically don't have to think about them, and they are universally praised. However, most players prefer to bet Pass in order to encourage the person tossing the dice. Opinions differ on all of this, but the major disadvantage of betting Don't Pass is that you may lose on the Come Out roll.

You could be thinking, after seeing how players win with Pass and Don't Pass on the Come Out roll, that "you win with two numbers either way." "What makes Pass the superior bet?" It's because a 7 or 11 is required to win on the Come Out roll with a Pass bet. There are eight different possibilities for the dice to land on one of those two numbers. To win a Don't Pass bet, you need a 2 or 3, and there are only three ways to get one of those two numbers, thus the shooter has a better chance of rolling a 7 or 11 (which is why people in movies generally cry, "Come on seven!").

However, after the Come Out roll, Don't Pass begins to look attractive in comparison to the Pass bet. That is because after the shooter establishes his Point, the Don't Pass betting wins roughly two-thirds of the time, while the Pass bettor wins roughly one-third of the time. So you can compensate for the missed opportunity on the Come Out roll by playing Don't Pass on the Point.

By placing extra chips on his first wager, the Pass bettor Takes the Odds. By placing chips adjacent to his original wager, the Don't Pass bettor Lays the Odds. This is not the same as betting on the odds, in which you place a second bet on the colorful dice representations in the Odds box. This is one of the reasons why some players are perplexed by craps.

Taking Odds on a Pass bet pays more than Laying Odds on a Don't Pass bet, but the Don't Pass bet is more likely to win. In fact, it is because of this advantage that the casino pays less money for Don't Pass bets.

8. Delay the spins by 17 seconds.

Slowing down slot game play is difficult, but there is a mathematically sound reason to do so other than losing money at a slower rate. This is not a betting technique that guarantees you will win more frequently. This is a system that makes your play more volatile. It is based on how random number generation methods function.

There are two things you should know about random number generators, the complex tiny chips on which all modern slot machine games rely to determine where the reels stop spinning. The first is that we lack the technology to generate a truly random number using a mathematical procedure. Second, the numbers created by these chips are selected from vast pools of probable outcomes, making them sufficiently random to be unpredictable in casino game play. As a result, most, if not all, gambling governments across the world allow and regulate the chips.

This ridiculous approach is for slot gamers who believe random number generators follow patterns. The possibility of this happening is low, yet it is possible since the random numbers are not genuinely random. What happens is that the generated numbers form what is known as a "local pattern." This suggests that they do follow a pattern in the short run. This is fine because you never see the random numbers or their application. The black box effect assures us that the slot machine is truthful. But first, let's look at how this black box effect is accomplished.

The random number generator generates fresh numbers all the time. Each new number is stored in a section of the chip's memory known as a "register." The number remains for a fraction of a second before being replaced by another number. In the meantime, the system is running the gaming program. When you start spinning the reels, the game starts retrieving random numbers from the RNG's registers. In the United States, each reel must have a random number assigned to it, and those numbers are used to decide where the reels stop spinning. In other jurisdictions, the outcome of the game is determined by a single random number.

The 17 second delay is based on the fact that after the reels stop spinning and you are handed your win, you count down 17 seconds. A watch is ideal for this, although a smart phone would suffice. In a pinch, counting slowly by saying (or thinking) "one thousand one, one thousand two, etc." will suffice.

Waiting 17 seconds after each spin boosts your chances of breaking free from any local pattern in fewer spins. The local pattern may randomly offer you a large number of prizes or a large number of losing spins. You have no way of knowing if this unusual phenomena is occurring, but if you find yourself stuck in a random number rut, you can liven things up by pausing and taking your time between spins. And, as it happens, this absurd method is consistent with most money management strategies, which recommend slowing down your pace of play to save money.

But why the 17-second pause? Why not select 5 seconds? That's a good question, and the answer could surprise you. 17 is a prime integer, and basing your computations on a prime simplifies any algorithm that attempts to randomize activity. The more prime numbers there are, the better. You could pick a prime number like 53 seconds, but most people will give up before that many seconds have passed. In 17 seconds, the RNG in your slot machine could generate hundreds or thousands of fresh numbers.

Also, by forcing yourself to stop and count to 17 in between reel spins, you shake off some of the mental cobwebs that accumulate from continuously clicking on Spin. This method keeps you conscious of the passage of time while you're in a casino, which is always advantageous. In the long run, the 17 second strategy has no greater or worse chances of winning, but it gives you more control over your actions and money.

Conclusion

There are insane gambling techniques, foolish gambling strategies, and insanely dumb or simply stupid gambling methods. By employing alternate tactics, we hope to shake things up a little without increasing our risk (or losses). After a while, the typical gambling advice found in books and websites begins to look homogeneous and dull. If you are gambling for fun, you will be more willing to experiment and attempt new things. This helps to keep your game experience interesting and fresh.

And the advantage of employing an insane strategy is that if you are dissatisfied with the outcomes, you may return to gaming in the manner in which you are most comfortable. However, give these strategies a shot. You might fall in love with them only because they are distinct from the usual tidbits and recommendations.